Enviros say a downsized DEC isn’t policing polluters

Environmental Adovcates are out with a report today charging that years of downsizing at the state Dept. of Environmental Conservation have led to fewer state inspections of potential polluters including those who emit pollutants and waste products into the state’s air and water.

“DEC is ultimately looking less and they are finding less,” EA’s interim director David Gahl said, adding “DEC needs more cops on the beat.”

Update: Courtesy Kyle Hughes of NYSNYS.com, see video of the presser below:

They cited the agency’s downsizing, by 860 jobs, since 2007, as one reason, saying they don’t believe there are enough inspectors out there looking at air and water emissions as well as solid waste. They believe Gov. Andrew Cuomo should beef up the agency, spend some more money and hire more people.

Their study shows that over four years, inspections of those who hold water pollution permits were down 74 percent and air inspections fell 44 percent.

Environmentalists for some time have maintained that DEC took too much of a hit during budget cutbacks of the past few years, and some problems have been exposed by Times Union stories before the agency has acted.